If you run your own courier service business, whether you operate with one vehicle or a fleet of them, then it is quite possible that the vehicle(s) you will be using to deliver parcels is a van otherwise known as a light commercial vehicle. Many of you will purchase a used van for your deliveries but some of you will be in the fortunate position of being able to buy a brand new vehicle.

Well, you may find it of interest to read that, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), the number of new vans sold in the UK in October 2024 rose slightly in comparison to the same month in 2023.

In October 2024, the number of new light commercial vehicles (LCVs) sold in the up to 3.5 tonnes category amounted to 26,974. In the same month of 2023 the figure was 26,342 so there was an increase of 632. That equates to a rise of 2.4% – a modest increase but nevertheless a modest one.

The biggest percentage rise was in the under 2 tonnes category with 683 sold in October 2024 compared to 438 sold in October 2023 – that is a rise of 55.9%. The biggest fall in percentage terms was for 4 x 4s with 234 being sold in October 2024 compared to 615 in October of 2023 – that equates to a drop of 62.0%- a significant fall.

On a year to date basis to October 2024, the number of new vans sold in the up to 3.5 tonnes category totalled 294,313 compared to 284,321 for the same period in 2023. That is a rise of 9,992 with this equating to an increase of 3.5% – again a modest increase but nevertheless heading in the right direction.

The top 5 selling new vans in October 2024 in the UK were: –

1. Ford Transit Custom 3,400
2. Ford Transit 2,921
3. Peugeot Partner 1,821
4. Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 1,553
5. Ford Ranger 1,407

The top 5 selling new vans on a year to date basis to October 2024 in the UK were: –

1. Ford Transit Custom 38,917
2. Ford Transit 26,438
3. Ford Ranger 16,819
4. Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 15,805
5. Vauxhall Vivaro 14,156

If you can afford to purchase a new van for your courier service business then now may be a good time to start looking for a suitable vehicle as there may be quite a selection of light commercial vehicles to choose from.

Don’t forget that you will need courier insurance so why not get in contact with us as we provide access to a reputable, extensive panel of insurance companies. We will do all that we can to help you obtain what we hope will be a free, competitive courier insurance quotation without any obligation to proceed.